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Chicago Christ the King Shrine repair costs estimated at $3 million

Supporters have begun to donate toward the $3 million or more cost of restoring a Woodlawn Catholic church following a devastating fire early Wednesday.

The Shrine of Christ the King, 6401 S. Woodlawn Ave., built between 1923 and 1928 and first known as St. Clara, then for much of its life, St. Gelasius, suffered a massive fire that burned for hours after apparently igniting from spontaneous combustion of clothes used to stain the church’s floor.

Firefighters were able to save a historic statue donated to the church, an 18th century statue of the Divine Infant Jesus, as well as the tabernacle containing the Eucharist, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Province of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, the Catholic order that has run the church since 2004. The church previously survived a 1976 fire, and has undergone extensive renovations since the order took it over a decade ago.

Supporters Thursday morning started a GoFundMe page for the church, which by about 9 p.m. Thursday had collected about $15,000 of its initial goal of $500,000.

Also the latest update from the GoFundMe page(which has been very good about posting updates):

As soon as it was safe to do so, Canon Talarico and Canon Stein, two of three priests stationed at the Shrine, retrieved the sacred liturgical item from the burnt church. Your contributions will ensure that Mass will be celebrated again soon at the Shrine. Thank you for your generosity!

Of Interest

Benedict

Benedict, while the "father of the new liturgical movement" (in my estimation at any rate), is not the new liturgical movement; as such the new liturgical movement does not die with the end of his papacy.